James Bennet Tikiun, 22, was last seen on March 7, 2021, in Chevak, Alaska, with 35-year-old Dennis Slats at the village’s old, abandoned school. In the early hours of March 8 a fire consumed the derelict building; strong winds spread the blaze and it left the structure a smoldering ruin. After the fire, neither man could be located and searches by Village Police Officers and local residents turned up no trace.

Alaska State Troopers and Deputy Fire Marshals investigated. The fire was found to have started under the school’s gym but the initial cause remained inconclusive. Search and recovery were hampered by the collapsed structure, hazardous materials known to be in the building (asbestos, lead, mercury) and a heavy snowfall the day after the fire. It is unknown whether James and Dennis perished in the blaze; the investigation remains open.

If anyone in Chevak or the surrounding area remembers James or Dennis on March 7 or 8, what they were wearing, or any movements that night, please come forward.